


Choices and Consequences

by Huntsman



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Action, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Freeform, Character Death, Civil War (Marvel), Daisy Johnson - Freeform, Drama, F/M, Marvel Cinematic Universe - Freeform, Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One Compliant, Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two Compliant, Minor Clint Barton/Laura Barton, Minor Sharon Carter/Steve Rogers, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Post-Civil War (Marvel), Pre-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Pre-Civil War (Marvel), Romance, S.H.I.E.L.D., Skye - Freeform, Suspense, phil coulson - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 12:35:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4137780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntsman/pseuds/Huntsman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of Bruce and Natasha's journey back together after the events of Age of Ultron, and surviving the Civil War.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Choices and Consequences: Chapter 1

**Author Notes**

**Well here I am attempting to write my second FanFiction story. My other one for General Hospital was to complex and detailed with too many characters that it got away from me, and with school, work and other life events getting in the way I lost confidence, motivation, and the desire to finish the my over 200,000 word story. I keep saying I'll get around to it eventually, but still haven't. For my Bruce/Natasha story I am going to keep things simple and focus mainly on them as the world around them gets more complicated.**

**First before I get to the story I thought I'd add some back ground on why I decided to write a fanfiction story about these two. It was the combination of two things. First like others going into Avengers Age of Ultron I was skeptical of the Bruce and Natasha story as it wasn't so called Canon in the comics, but I've never been one of those anal people who has to have everything in TV or film based off a novel or comic exactly like the source material, so I kept up an open mind, and the more I saw of the friendship and romance the more I was looking forward to it, and after seeing Age of Ultron I loved the friendship/romance between Bruce and Natasha as it was one of the best things about Age of Ultron, and hope there will be more between the two in future films, and wanted to write a story about the two. The second reason was because of the undeserved hate that Joss, Mark, and a lesser extent Scarlett have gotten over the story line, and especially the scene at the farm that many, many people misinterpreted. Yes Joss's execution of that scene and the editing of the film wasn't the best, but anyone should be able to understand what he was trying to say in the script, and what Natasha was trying to say to Bruce.**

**All right moving on. I am a Marvel Comic fan first reading their comics in the late 1980's briefly stopping in 2003 after Marvel decided to go with the terrible ONE MORE DAY storyline of erasing Peter Parker's past from the world after his deal with Mephisto. I've slowly gotten back into comics since 2011. I never got into the Hulk comics with my only dealings with the character through the X-Men, Spiderman, Avengers, and other comics, so my depth of knowledge of the character isn't that vast. A few of my absolute favorite Marvel characters are Gambit, Spiderman, Daredevil, Hawkeye, Rogue, and Black Widow.**

**I'm not a huge shipper, as I think shipping especially in television can ruin people's enjoyment of a show, but if I were to ship Natasha with anyone it would be Matt Murdock. Natasha's relationship with Captain America (Steven Rogers) has been more of a friendship more than anything else. Natasha and Clint Barton did have some what of a relationship, but it had more to do with working together than love, and Clint will always love Bobbi Morse more than anyone else as she is the love of his life. Natasha even had a brief fling with Tony Stark which with it being Tony Stark you know that didn't last. That leaves us Bucky Barnes and Matt Murdock the two in my opinion are the only characters that Natasha has truly loved, and I believe she loved/loves Matt more. Those two in the comics with who ever wrote for them always fit together well had a long relationship before life events got in the way, but the two even have a child together in one of the best story lines I have ever read in Daredevil's END OF DAYS storyline. Writer Brian Michael Bendis knows Daredevil, and Natasha so well creating a wonderful tragic story that everyone should read. I am also surprised there isn't more Matt Murdock/Natasha FanFiction, and I would have loved to see the two team up in Marvel's Cinematic Universe, but like Clint/Bobbi Natasha/Buck that's not going to happen. I am sorry shippers hopping that's going to happen it isn't. In Captain America: Winter Soldier the writers already stated that Hydra kept Bucky cryogenically frozen as he isn't ageless only using him for important missions, and not going to waste time trying him with a program like the Red Room he had not connection with.**

**As for the plot it takes place after the events of the Age of Ultron and up until then end of my Marvel Civil War. It should be around 15 to maybe 20 chapters, and again mainly focusing on Bruce and Natasha. Just couple of other things. I haven't fully decided what to do with the ridiculous epilogue to the season finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with the Inhumans stuff getting into fish and other sea creatures. I really like AOS, but that was one of the elements of the show that I just didn't like. Also there will be Mutants. That is something else I didn't like as Marvel has to do that since FOX owns the rights to the word and the X-Men. I don't understand how Marvel couldn't at least try to work out a deal to use the word, but anyway Marvel may not have the right, but I do, and will be using the word, and characters who are mutants. Also just a warning I have never been a fan of Tony Stark. Tony's just a terrible character, and here's a fact Stan Lee only created the character as a challenge to himself. Stan Lee wanted to create a superhero nobody would like and see if he could force people to like the character. Lee may have force other people to like the character, but I certainly don't. Robert Downey Jr. good performance only makes the character bearable in the films. Finally I am using both history from Marvel Comics, and Marvels Cinematic Universe wiki page which does have a lot of useful information.**

**All right I know some people dislike when a FanFiction writer puts a long forward in chapters, and I some times dislike it to, so I will try not to, and only to when reviewers ask me questions. I hope you enjoy my story, and feel free to leave reviews. I love praise, but I have no problem with constructive criticism.**

 

* * *

 

 

Waves crashed soothingly against the shores of Mangaia as the first bit of daylight begin to rise beating away the darkness of night with the morning sun creeping into a small ragged cabin where once David Bixby slept or as he is better known to the outside world as Bruce Banner. Bruce loved the sound of the waves crashing against the shore as he rubbed his eyes waking from another night of sleep where his dreams and nightmares were no longer just about what the Hulk had done, but now also of a beautiful red head he missed, and to start another peaceful and tranquil new day on the quiet island of Mangaia. Bruce lived in a small two room hut with only a living room and bedroom. The shower was outdoors as was the cooking fire pit and toilet. It was simple, but Bruce did enjoy the simple life he had on Mangaia. After waking up on the shores of Fiji he had made his way southeast traveling from Tonga to Nue, and finally to the Cook Islands and Mangaia. Bruce was surprised by the kindness of the locals of the islands who willingly helped clothless and penniless foreigner, but they had helped him anyway with Bruce only being able to pay through his medical expertise, which he preferred over being the Hulk destroying everything he touches and killing countless people. Using the name David Bixby, Bruce had gotten a job as a local doctor in Mangaia. The island was far away from the capital Avarua, sparsely populated quiet with few outsiders. It was a perfect place for Bruce to hide from the Avengers, General Ross, and himself.

After waking up from another deep stress free night where his own dreams or nightmares were of a certain red head Bruce went on his morning run along the beach, and after went to the local tavern the only place on the island with a television in two flat screen TVs, and one of the few places with electricity. The Mangaia was remote as it was making it difficult for construction and power to reach plus the locals preferred not to use modern technology only using it when it was absolutely necessary, so a small part of the west side of the island had power where the tiny airport was located with the tavern, a lone resort hotel for tourists located a half a mile from the airport and tavern one grocery story, the clinic, a research station for scientists when they came to the island to do studies, and a handful of homes were all powered by the small solar power grid that was installed.

"Morning Dr. Bixby." said grey haired New Zealander Liam who had opened the tavern on the island fifteen years ago.

"Good morning Liam." Bruce told the man sitting on the bar stool at the bar.

"The usual?"

"Yes." Bruce said turning his attention to the television getting its feed from New Zealand while Liam poured Bruce his coffee, and the cook prepared his vegetable omelet.

"Heading to Avarua for your weekly check and supplies?" Liam asked cleaning out some mugs getting ready for the morning rush. With the island having only one main tavern with a television Liam's place got the business of the two dozen foreigners who lived on the island, as well as tourists staying at the resort hotel, and a few of the locals who worked outside of the island who have to catch the seaplane to the other islands.

"Yes I am running low on gauze, bandages, antibiotics and some other stuff." Bruce explained, but that wasn't the only reason he was heading to Avarua. For the first time since he came to Mangaia nearly a three months ago Bruce had made contact with the outside world sending a letter to an old friend and family member, but he was distracted by his thoughts when he heard the mention of the Avengers as the newscast switched from New Zealand news to international news and the growing threat of super powered beings in the world.

"After the events of the invasion of an alien race in New York city, the growing rise in super powered beings across the globe, and devastation in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Sokovia countries around the world are asking themselves what needs to be done about the growing threat to the world. The South African government has along with other countries have been putting pressure on the United States to deal with the Hulk who is being a considered a man-made natural disaster that needs to be stopped, but the Hulk has disappeared since the events of a month ago, and The Avengers either don't know where he is or are willing to tell where Bruce Banner and the Hulk are." The anchor explained. "The Avengers led by Captain America are being strained thin without the backing of the government and new inexperience members joining the Avengers, and would have been killed by a group of villains called The Masters of Evil if it hadn't been for General Thaddeus Ross and his elite military unit." The anchor explained showing Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon, Scarlett Witch, War Machine, and Vision taking on and losing against a group of villains Black Knight, Moonstone, Black Mamba, Klaw, Radioactive Man, and Whirlwind on the streets of Chicago. Bruce watches Natasha for the first time in over a month, and the first time on TV. Natasha looks as beautiful and deadly as ever in her leather cat suit as Natasha effortlessly dodges blasts from Black Knights weapons, and throwing a flash grenade in front of the villain blinding The Black Knight giving a clear opening for Cap to attack knocking the Black Knight off his flying horse and out of the fight, but Bruce quickly saw how overpowered the group is compared to The Masters of Evil. Moonstone easily takes down Rodney in his War Machine armor being photon blasted into the side of a building, and then Moonstone and Klaw clip Falcon's wings sending him plummeting down on top of a car. Things continued to go downhill for the Avengers leaving only Steve and Natasha still standing, but the Black Mamba then hits Natasha from behind, and even though it was already reported that Natasha made it Bruce just for the moment he thought Natasha was going to be killed, and Bruce could feel the other guy inside him demanding to come out wanting to save his "pretty little spider", but then Black Mamba as well as Moonstone was hit by multiple energy blasts sending them to the ground as over three dozen advanced armored soldiers with energy weapons came onto the scene forcing The Masters of Evil to retreat.

"Nick Fury leader of the newly formed Avengers Intuitive explained that Sam Wilson known as Falcon was in critical condition with internal bleeding, broken ribs and head trauma, and James Rhodes known as War Machine as some two broken ribs, broken hand and a concussion, but the rest of the Avengers have only superficial wounds, and that the Avengers would not stay down or allow terror and fear to win in the world. After the events of Chicago General Ross had this to say about the growing threats to the United States and the rest of the world." The anchor explained as the screen flashed to a podium in front of the Sears Tower as a mean grizzly looking General Ross made an announcement.

"The world is changing and the United States has to change with it. For far too long we allowed outside influence into our country with S.H.I.E.L.D., and the World Security Council, and look where that that has gotten us as a nation. President Palmer has decided to make changes for the better meant of the country. First unless the United States government is no longer affiliated with S.H.I.E.L.D. and considers S.H.I.E.L.D. an outlaw organization that is operating outsides the bounds of purview of the United States or any other nation, and international law. President Palmer is calling on the person in charge to present himself before congress and the president or S.H.I.E.L.D. will be hunted down. Second President Kelly has put me in charge of the growing super powered, mutant problem facing the United States. I have been charged in creating a military unit and a team of powered beings that answer directly to the President and dealing with mutant outlaws as well as advising the president and congress on what should ultimately be done about these mutants. Finally the Hulk and Bruce Banner is being designated a human natural disaster that is single handily capable of destroying cities and killing countless people, and he must be contained for not just the security of the United States, but of the world, and the President is calling on the corporation of its allies and other nations in apprehending Bruce Banner and the Hulk. The world is changing and the United States government will must change with it to better protect the citizens of the United States and of the world. That is all if you have any questions you ask Captain Reid." General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross said finishing up his announcement and handing the press off to his assistant. Bruce pitches the bridge of his nose and rubbing his eyes in frustration. Bruce is surprised at the lengths that Ross would go with the two no longer having a connection with Betty moving. After the events in Harlem she had dumped Leonard Samson Betty had begun date Glenn Talbot and two married in early 2012, and Bruce was happy for Betty, but it seems General Ross's hatred for Bruce has continued, and now with Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer having the ability to keep Ross at bay General Ross is taking the opportunity to deal with Bruce. Bruce hoped Liam didn't recognize him as Bruce had learned a little about hiding and blending in wearing contacts that changed his eye color to blue, cut and dyed his hair from dark brown to blonde, and the natural tan of living on Mangaia helped disguise his appearance, but only go so far.

"Well the world certainly seems to be falling apart." Liam said taking Bruce's plate. "Another reason I'm glad I'm in the middle of nowhere. It's peaceful, quiet, and no one cause's problems except for the occasional drunk, and don't have to worry about what's happing in the rest of the world." Liam continued.

"It's one of the reasons I enjoy it here." Bruce told Liam putting down a twenty to cover his breakfast and the tip, and got up to leave and a catch the sea plane to the main island.

"David." Liam called out stopping Bruce as Liam turned the television from the news to the sports station. Bruce who was getting more nervous as he turned to face the man. "I've never asked what really brought you an obvious well educated man and doctor to Mangaia… and it's none of my business. All of the foreigners here came to the middle of nowhere running from something, searching for something or both. Whatever the reason you are here whether it a being monetary, being fired from your job, failed marriage or running from the military and the world it's none of mine or anyone else's business, but if you ever need to talk about it my doors always open." Liam told Bruce, and Bruce smiled a genuine smile full of gratitude at the man.

"Thank you Liam." Bruce said and went to catch his plane.

On the three hour flight to Avarua Bruce's thoughts turned to Tasha. He had earned the right to call Natasha that after they built their friendship, which had surprised him how much they got along. Tasha had been assigned as his bodyguard after the battle with Loki and the Chitauri only getting pulled off of his detail when Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. had an urgent need for the Black Widow's skills. Tasha had taken a room in the Avengers Tower at the annoyance of Tony, but Stark didn't have much choice in the matter especially trying to win an augment against deadly Black Widow. He and Natasha slowly became more comfortable with each other as the two lived together in the Avengers Tower eating, watching films and television, and casually talking together, but both of them only talking about events of the world, and minor things not talking about their pasts or personal lives. Things between them wouldn't change in their growing friendship until after the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. Steve was gone with his friend Sam Wilson looking for his long lost friend Bucky Barnes, Hydra had transformed into a killing machine keeping him in cryostasis only thawing him out for a mission. Fury was dead, S.H.I.E.L.D. was gone, and Tasha disappeared off the face of the earth for, and Bruce didn't see her again for nearly three months until the night of July 27th when as one of New York's many summer thunderstorms slammed New York city with lightning and heavy rain Tasha showed up with a gunshot to her right shoulder, and a knife wound in her left thigh. Tasha didn't respond to Bruce as he helped her to the medical bay he and Tony had set up nor as he peeled back her Black Widow suit taking care of the bullet and her wounds. Tasha refused to tell him what had happened, but had managed to convince Tasha to stay in the Avengers Tower for two weeks to let her wounds heal some. Tasha remained cold and distant only looking at him with cold soulless dead eyes. It wasn't until two days before Tasha was going to leave that everything changed between them. Tony was away on business and Maria Hill had taken a day off for personal reasons. Bruce found her drinking heavily in Tony's community living space one early afternoon, and thought back to that day.

**_"Natasha this has to stop." Bruce finally said finally having enough of seeing his friend try to drink herself to death, and seeing the lack of the will to live in her eyes._ **

**_"Natasha what happened the night you came here. Please talk to me I want to help." Bruce begged of her wanting to ease her suffering. Natasha sat in silence for a long time, and Bruce was beginning to think the Natasha he had grown to know and like was gone when she quietly spoke._ **

**_"Elements of Hydra and the remints of the Red Room tried to kill me, and they used one of the only good men I knew from my life in Russia. Misha Taras was a Major in the Russia KGB, and the Spetsnaz. Before S.H.I.E.L.D. and Clint came to find me I had abandoned the Red Room, they were after me along with many others. Major Taras and his men had found me, but like Clint made a different call. Misha never supported the Red Room program to turn young girls into soulless emotional less killers whose only goal was to completer their mission for mother Russia using whatever means necessary as he had two daughters of his own. Misha allowed and helped me escape Russia and evade the Red Room. His objection to the program, and though there was no evidence he or his men helped me it cost him any chance of advancement and later his career. Once was firmly entrenched in S.H.I.E.L.D. I got Misha and his family out of Russia and the United States where the US government and S.H.I.E.L.D. agreed to help protect Misha that is until everything came out with Hydra being entrenched in S.H.I.E.L.D. The US government might have allowed me to go free, but apparently the continued protection of Misha and other S.H.I.E.L.D. assets aren't a priority anymore. The Hydra and Red Room agents used Misha to lure me to their home just outside New York city where Misha was living hoping I could save him and his family, but I couldn't as they had already killed his wife and three children leaving him alive until I got there and then slit Misha's throat right in front of me." Natasha said stopping for a moment, and was growing surprisingly emotional for an independent and secretive woman who kept herself closed off from people and the outside world. Natasha didn't do emotional, but with the loss of one of the few kind people from her past, and the vast amount of alcohol, and what Bruce had hope the progress of their friendship. Whatever the case Natasha's walls she had built up were coming down, and Bruce took her hand and gently led her over to one of the couches in the living area, so they could get more comfortable, and once that had seated Bruce was once again surprised when Natasha didn't let go of his hand._ **

**_"Natasha I am so sorry." Bruce told her as he gently stroked the hand he held comforting her._ **

**_"There's more. I don't know how you can look at me now, but after what I am going to tell you won't look at me with kindness ever again. After they killed Misha they tried to kill me. I could have escaped, but I chose not to. Hydra and the Red Room brought fourteen men to kill me. They should have brought more. I killed them all with some being killed slowly with the exception of the commander. The Red Room taught me to use my intelligence and beauty to get information, but they also taught me the art of torture, and with what I learned from S.H.I.E.L.D. I spent over an hour torturing the man even with my wounds I didn't stop torturing the man inflicting pain on the commander that no one should ever have to suffer through and then I left the broken man alive as I left leaving him to burn alive after I set the house on fire." Natasha calmly explained showing no remorse for her what she had done to the man, and then turned away from Bruce unable to look at the man's face full of disappointment and disgust._ **

**_"Tasha please look at me?" Bruce asked shorting Natasha's name without realizing what he had done._ **

**_"Why are you still trying to comfort me after what I've done, and what you've learned about me after my file was released? The legendary Black Widow who kills, tortures, manipulates, uses people and her own body to complete the mission at whatever cost." Natasha told him still looking away and moving to get up and leave the room quickly, but Bruce wouldn't let her grabbing tightly to her hand, and getting her to sit back down on the couch._ **

**_"Tasha I never read your file or looked up your information on the internet after it was released." Bruce said using his other hand to move to her face and gently moving it so he could look into her face, and she could look into his._ **

**_"You…didn't?" Natasha asked looking at Bruce's face and into his deep brown eyes showing the truth of what he said and looking at her with nothing but kindness and understanding._ **

**_"No I didn't. Tony being Tony did, but I didn't. Tasha we're friends aren't we?_ **

**_"Yes we are." Natasha answered with a small barely noticeable smile amazed at how being around Bruce makes her feel not only about the world, but herself as well, and realizes that she doesn't mind that he's calling her Tasha as long as it's coming from him._ **

**_"Then as a friend I would like to know you better, and about your past, but only if it comes from you." Bruce explained, and then decided to take the step. He didn't like talking about his childhood or past, but he would for Tasha if it helped her realize that she isn't alone. "I'm sure you've read me file right?" Bruce asked._ **

**_"Yes when the Hulk first was let loose, and then after the incident in Harlem, Clint and I were given you file. It didn't go into great detail mainly dealing with how the Other Guy or the Hulk came to be and what potential threat you posed." Natasha told Bruce._ **

**_"I am terrified of the Other Guy for more than his destructive capability. I'm afraid of him because he's the part of me that I got from my father. You aren't the only one who grew up unloved and abused." Bruce explained to Tasha, and then went on to talk about his child hood with his father Brian Banner, and his abuse he and his mother Rebecca took from him, and when Rebecca tried to escape with him his father killed his mother slamming her head against the driveway. He went on to explain how his aunts didn't want any part of him and his life in foster homes, and the death of his father. Once Bruce was finished he felt relieved to finally talk about his childhood and past with someone who could understand. Betty had loved him, but avoided his dark past, and childhood. Looking into Tasha's farce all he saw was sadness and understanding, and then Natasha opened up to Bruce about her life. She told Bruce in general way about her life in the Red Room leaving out some details, and even told Bruce about her childhood before Red Room took her, and her real name that wasn't even in the file that was released. Now the only people besides Bruce who know her real name is Natalia Alianovna Romanova are Clint and Fury._ **

**_"Where are you going to go?" Bruce asked Natasha after they had finished talking and getting an idea._ **

**_"I don't know. Clint has his own life that I don't want to intrude on." Natasha said not wanting to intrude on Clint who after the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., and nearly getting killed by Hydra agents he thought were S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Clint decided to take a vacation at the farm with his family and decide where to go from there. "I guess I will just disappear. I have nothing left to fight for, and no place to call home, but I never did to begin with, and I'm sure no one will miss me." Natasha explained._ **

**_"I would miss you." Bruce said catching Natasha by surprise. "Tasha I've got an idea. Stay here." Bruce told her._ **

**_"Here?"_ **

**_"Yes. Look Maria Hill works for Tony. I live here, and with S.H.I.E.L.D. gone I could use a body guard again to help keep threats from coming after me and unleashing the Hulk when I'm not ready plus you could help me deal with Tony. Tony is my friend, but you know him he can be really aggravating to put it mildly sometimes and I could use another friend to help deal with him and escape from work every so often, but more importantly you could have a safe haven away from the outside world, and be among friends." Bruce told her, but then saw the irritated look in her eyes, and laughed know it was about his other friend. "All right you'd be among one friend, and Tony. What do you say Tasha?" Bruce asked. Natasha thought for a moment looking around the room and out the window as the sunlight was dwindling over the New York skyline, and then turned back to look at Bruce._ **

**_"All right I'll stay, but you tell nothing to Tony about what we talked about today."_ **

**_"Done." Bruce told Tasha. Tony had issues with privacy and boundaries. It was one of his many problems._ **

**_"Also about you calling me Tasha I like it, but only coming from you, so let's keep it between us for now."_ **

**_"Does that mean you are staying?" A hopeful Bruce Banner asked._ **

**_"It looks like you've got a roommate." Natasha said once again smiling at Bruce, but not one of her fake smiles she used on marks, but a fuller real Natasha smile reserved for only a few_.**

Everything changed between them after that. Tasha found something to fight for with the Avengers. When Steve came back to New York after the trail in the search for Bucky went cold he agreed to stay at the Avengers Tower as he had nowhere else to life at the moment. Steve, Tony, Tasha, Clint grouped once again as the Avengers to deal with Hydra and other threats around the world. Bruce reluctantly agreed to help after the Tony convinced him to. Bruce knew that was a disaster waiting to happen as are many of Tony's ideas, as it happened on one mission in Argentina where Hydra team was still operating out of S.H.I.E.L.D. base and the Argentina military couldn't do anything to stop them. They asked for the Avengers help, and he and the team came down to help, and he stayed behind with the jet only for a Hydra team finding it and firing missiles at him and the jet destroying it. Bruce would have died if he weren't who he was or didn't have the other guy inside of him, and the Hulk was not happy killing all they Hydra men, and then going on a rampage through a small town, and then manhandling Captain America, Hawkeye, and Iron Man before he was confronted by the Black Widow. To both Tasha and Bruce's bewilderment it seemed like Bruce the Other Guy had taken a liking to Tasha as well as he hesitated to attack Tasha, and actually reluctantly obey Tasha when she told him to stop. They sun was getting low and it was time to go home, and then she reached out to touch the Hulk without any fear, and so did the Hulk. Tasha gently ran her fingers down his huge arm and into his hand, and then let go. The Hulk just sat down in front of Tasha and turned back into Bruce, which shocked the team. From then on out Tasha was chosen to deal with the Hulk keeping him from getting out of control, and turning back into Bruce.

The two's relationship changed as well. When they weren't on missions or working Bruce would always try to take Tasha out to have fun once a week as neither of them had any growing up. They played miniature golf, went to museums, ice skating, to plays, and Tasha even sometimes went with him when Bruce volunteered at the local free clinics helping with patients. They laughed and enjoyed each other's company until nearly two months before the incident with Ultron and a few days before Thor showed back up on Earth in search of Loki's scepter. Tasha was good at hiding it, but while they were out he'd notice Tasha looking at differently with those piercing green eyes sometimes filled with wonder, awe, mischief, and something else he didn't recognize or refuse to recognize. Bruce also found he looked at Tasha differently. Bruce always saw there was more to Tasha then she allowed the world to see. He saw there was more to the woman known as the Black Widow that only a small select handful of people of got to see, and even Bruce doubted they got to see the fun-loving care free Tasha that he got to see, and she only showed for him. No he knew things were getting to a dangerous point when he truly noticed how beautiful a woman Tasha was. Bruce always known Tasha was pretty, but he realized he loved Tasha's hair, but loved it best when it was long and full of curls, so he could run his fingers through it like had one time when Tasha took him dancing at a club displaying some of those ballerina skills she picked up from the Red Room. Bruce had also loved Tasha's emerald green eyes that somehow lit up brighter when he was around. Of course there was the gorgeous body of Tasha that blew by any other woman he had met or seen making his body respond in ways he didn't it want it to. Bruce had begun to feel something he had only ever felt since he was Betty, but what he was feeling for Tasha was more… deeper, and knew both he and Tasha were reaching dangerous territory, and it terrified him.

As the sea plane began its decent toward the city of Avarua Bruce realized he made a mistake leaving Tasha. Both he and the Other Guy wanted to get away, but with Tasha. Yes he was hurt by Tasha's decision to throw him into the pit choosing the mission over him, and for a little while thought she had only used him to gain control of the Hulk, but looking back on it he understood why Tasha did what she did. He saw the pain in her eyes when she kissed him, and threw him off the cliff. Bruce understood her decision. The Avengers wouldn't have won without Tasha or the Hulk there to fight Ultron and his minions. Tasha made the hard choice while he ran. He was still scared of becoming a monster like his father and afraid of the Hulk as he tries to get better control and an understanding with the beast inside of him, and doesn't want to go back to outside world at the moment, but realizes he wants to contact, talk to and see Tasha, and begins to think off a way to contact her without anyone finding out where he is, and might have an idea with the person he's meeting.

Once he arrived in Avarua, Bruce quickly went to the main hospital in Avarua, picked up his pay for the week, ordered supplies told the clerk to have them delivered to the Avarua airport, and put on the plane to Mangaia, and then Bruce rented a jeep, and headed drove along to the coast to Aroa Beach where he found a secluded spot on the beach with tree giving him shade from the sun Bruce took out some paper from his bag and began to write a letter to Tasha putting all his thoughts and feelings down on paper for her to read, and lost track of time.

"Well if it isn't my friend David Bixby." A woman with a familiar called out from behind Bruce surprising him as he had just finished his letter, and had put it in an envelope. Bruce turned and standing before him was his cousin Jennifer Walters. Jennifer was the only family member Bruce had that stayed and contact with him and supported him. Jennifer hugged her smaller cousin tightly. "You scared me David. I thought you had disappeared from my life or worse."

"Jen you know what happened I had to get away from the world."

"Yes the Hulk problem. I heard the reports and seen the news. From what I read the Hulk wasn't at fault. The one known as Scarlett Witch got into his head forcing the Hulk out of control." Jen said keeping up the act, and while she didn't completely agree with Bruce's choice of running she would respect her cousins choice and won't take the of calling Bruce, Bruce in case anyone was around.

"The Hulk is always out of control, and a threat to the world."

"No Hulk isn't the problem his alter ego Bruce Banner is the problem." Jen said smiling for a moment at her cousin, but the smile went away as Jen had some things to say to her cousin. "Bruce my dear cousin is the problem. You see David what Bruce fails to realize or refuses to see is that Bruce and the Hulk are on and the same, so the emotions and feelings seep are still there when the Hulk comes out. Like the time in 2009 when the Hulk saved dozens of people from collapsing building in Turkey after a small earthquake. Afterwards a little girl walked up to the Hulk hugged his leg and said thank you. Do you know what the Hulk did David? The Hulk instead of getting angry hurting the little girl or leaving the Hulk stayed for a moment bent down smiled at the girl and patted her gently on her head and then left."

"That's just one of only a few instances. More often or not the Hulk is out of control." Bruce said trying to counter his cousin's argument, but Bruce was arguing against a skilled lawyer who could walk circles around Tony

"I beg to differ. The only time the Hulk ever goes completely out of control is when he's caught off guard or someone messes with his mind or someone hurts someone Bruce cares about. Otherwise the Hulk is in control and one with Bruce. They know what needs to be done. Bruce needs to realize he isn't his father. Bruce is better than his father, and overcame his father to become a good man who as both as a doctor and scientist and as the Hulk has the ability to help countless people. As a lawyer and a good one at that I try to make a difference in the world, but I wish I had the power Bruce has then I could truly make a meaningful difference in the world. I look up to my cousin as a friend and hero as both Bruce and the Hulk." Jen told her cousin. Bruce just looks at his cousin reverence. No one in his family has ever spoken to him that way before.

"Thank you Jen." Bruce simply said with no other response needed.

"All right I brought what you needed." Jen said changing the subject, and handing Bruce a bag. "Well David my friend you were lucky I was needed out here to meet a client who had gotten himself in hot water back in the states." Jen explained thought technically the man wasn't her client, but she needed an excuse to come to the Cook Islands and meet Bruce.

"Thank you Jen for everything." Bruce said quickly going through the bag with New Zealand passport and driver's license matching to the name David Bixby and ten thousand dollars in us currency, which would go a long way here on the Cook Islands. "Before you go there is one more big favor I need to ask of you. I need you to deliver a letter to a friend." Bruce said giving Jen the sealed envelope with the letter he had written to Tasha.

"Is this for a woman?" Jen asked looking at the blank envelope with only Tasha written on it. "David are you in love?" Jen asked half joking hoping Bruce would finally move on from Betty, but then looked at the seriousness of Bruce's face. "Oh my god you are in love." Jen said hugging Bruce again. "Who is the woman?"

"Jen this is really important." Bruce told her grabbing his pen and writing a name on his hand and showing it to Jen. "You need to get this only to her, and no one else. Besides you she's the only one I trust with my location."

"You've fallen for her?" asked after seeing two words written on his hand saying Black Widow, and watched Bruce wash his hand off in the Pacific Ocean surf.

"Can you do this for me Jen?" Bruce asked with a mix of hopefulness and desperation in his eyes.

"Of course David. I am happy you've found love again, and a woman who can accept both sides of you. I don't know how right now, but I will find a way to get this to her without anyone knowing."

"Thank you."

"That's what friends are for. Now David I hope you think about what I told you earlier. I think it's the only way you'll be happy or find lasting love with this woman." Jen told her cousin as she gathered her stuff.

"I will Jen, and thank you."

"Of course David those are what friends are for and David don't be a stranger. Oh by the way I like the tan, but the eyes and hair just is hair just isn't you." Jen said to her cousin and then headed away leaving Bruce on the standing on the Beach. Bruce sat back down, and just watched the waves roll in and out as his thoughts once again turned to Tasha, and hoped she could forgive him for running without her, and not letting her know where he is, and hope they can have some kind of future together.


	2. Choices and Consequences: Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of Bruce and Natasha's journey back together after the events of Age of Ultron, and surviving the Civil War.

Natasha woke in pain as she turned to her side irritating her ribs. She had suffered one broken left rib, and the rest were bruised after the disaster two days ago in Chicago. Even with her heightened healing ability thanks to the Red Room, she wouldn't anywhere near a hundred percent for at least a week. Looking at the clock on her night stand in her small room in the new Avengers Intuitive Base it Natasha saw it was four in the morning, which didn't bother her since she rarely got more than a few hours of sleep a night. Natasha took a shower, put on her exercise equipment, and first went for a run. As she ran around the base with only a flicker of lights on as only a few people lived on base the ones with no lives like Steve, Maria Hill, and Wanda Maximoff. Sam Wilson lived outside the base renting an apartment near the base. James Rhodes still was part of the US military, but worked allowed to work with the Avengers, so he wasn't on the base much, and Natasha didn't trust that. Since she had been no longer affiliated with the United States government Natasha had realized she preferred that, and didn't want to go back, and certainly didn't trust the government's intentions especially after what General Ross implied about the Avengers and Bruce.

Thinking about Bruce her lovable messed up dork made her stop in her tracks nearly falling to the ground. Natasha had blocked him from her mind as she had once been able to do. Natasha blocked everything out as to not feel anything going back to her Black Widow persona. With the Avengers Intuitive Fury and Stark decided to hire a small number of private soldiers to help the Avengers. Nowhere near the size of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the US wouldn't allow that, and Natasha worked the regular recruits training them harder than normal pushing them beyond their limits forcing some to collapse in exhaustion, others she nearly crippled in combat training just because Natasha had taken things too far when they underestimated her size and ability or those stupid enough to hit on her, and others nearly died forcing some to quit. This forced Fury and Steve to step in talking to her knowing it was because of Bruce, but Natasha had cut them off forcing Fury and Steve her from training the recruits. He time with helping Steve work with the new Avengers didn't fare much better. The team just had no chemistry or jelled together like when it was just Steve, Clint, Bruce, Thor, Tony, and her. Sure they were far from perfect, but they managed to get along and work well together. Their new team of Steve, James, Sam, Wanda, and the Vision, just weren't working or functioning well together. Sure they could easily handle some terrorists, or the new upstart organization trying to replace Hydra in A.I.M. led by a man named MODOK, but when it came to the team being backed by Elihas Starr going by the name of Egghead and the leader and backing behind the outlaw and terrorist group known as the Masters of Evil that was filled with dangerous and powerful super powered mutants who had been stealing, kidnapping, murdering across the North America. Without being a well jelled team or the backing of their own strong men like Thor or the Hulk the Avengers didn't stand a change, and it nearly cost them their lives.

Natasha walked back to the Avengers compound still thinking of Bruce. Did he hate her for what she did by kissing him pushing him into the pit taking his choice away? Did Bruce think she was just manipulating him from the beginning to gain the trust and some control of the Hulk. In her old life or over five years ago she wouldn't have hesitated, as even with her being part of S.H.I.E.L.D. she put the mission above everything even using good people to get the job done, but things slowly change when Clint trusted her enough to let her know about him being married and introducing her to Laura. Natasha soon grew to like having friends in Laura and Clint who she didn't have to lie to or completely lie to or be fake with, and showing her there was more to life outside of the mission. Natasha was happy for Clint, but Natasha never thought she deserved what Clint had. She was a monster created by the Red Room who's only job was to complete the mission, and she had so much blood on her hands working for the Red Room and S.H.I.E.L.D.. What right did Natasha have to want to live or be happy? Still she found some peace with Clint and Laura and their family. Through her thawing thanks to Clint, Natasha was able to become friends with Steven Rogers the legendary Captain America. After the battle of New York the two had started working together, and even though Steve was a too much of an honorable man and naïve for the modern world not liking her methods Steve and her worked well together. Sure some would say, and Natasha had even heard whispers of rumors that they were involved or sleeping together, and all Natasha could was laugh. Clint was her best friend, but Steve was like a little brother who she had to look out for in the new world Steve was living in trying to help him integrate with modern times, and even trying to get him to date, but Natasha had no feelings for Steve, and believed she didn't deserve that kind of love, and wasn't even capable of it. That was until she got to know Bruce Banner.

Natasha had first heard about Bruce from Nick Fury asking her to keep an eye on Bruce Banner in 2008, which ended in disaster. Natasha witnessed Bruce tuning into the Hulk for the first time, and the hatred obsession General Ross had for capturing and possibly killing Bruce and the Hulk or the lengths he would go to achieve that goal which some would say is borderline illegal. One thing Natasha knew was she was out of her depth nearly getting killed by Abomination after Fury had ordered her to Grayburn College to get rid of any evidence of Bruce's experiments to cure himself. Natasha had dealt with Dr. Samuel Sterns calling in a cleanup crew and witnessing some of the fight between the Hulk and Abomination she went to have a talk with Fury as she was out of her depth, and couldn't handle the assignment any longer. The Black Widow being perhaps the world's best spy could handle almost anything from handling the most skilled men with easy, infiltrating the most secure bases or easily blending in and taking on a new identity to get information, but dealing with nearly seven foot tall if not taller giant green monster that seem like it came out of a science fiction film with super human strength and the capability of destroying a city was beyond her unfortunately the next time she met Bruce she didn't have choice. Of course she had been afraid who wouldn't be after seeing what Bruce as the Hulk was capable of doing, but she had to job to do. In Calcutta, India she once again observed Bruce and realized Bruce was a genuine good man, which was a rare thing in the world Natasha lived in and who didn't want to the Hulk as a part of him, and just wanted to help people and live in peace. Through their brief time together in Calcutta and working with him on the Hellcarrier Natasha understood Bruce better as she certainly could understand the feeling of having something dark inside of you, feeling so suicide and lack of self-worth, but she just did a much better job of hiding it from the world.

Even with the incident on the Hellcarrier with the Hulk she found that she wasn't as terrified of the Hulk as she once had been as Natasha thought the Hulk was a part of Bruce, and could see it in the Hulk's eyes, and when Fury ordered her to be Bruce's bodyguard while he lived in Tony's Avengers Tower she hadn't minded. Natasha found that she enjoyed Bruce's company, and thought of it as a vacation with only having to deal with Stark's endless schemes and trouble making. Living and working with Bruce in the Avengers Tower for those two years was quite the experience for her. Bruce was unlike any man she had known till then. Working in the line of work that Natasha did she ran into more than her share of unsavory men or men like Clint and Steve who chose the life, and were similar to her in that they were also soldiers and killers and the toll it took on them. Bruce was different like her he didn't choose to be a part of this life they were living. Like her it was forced upon him by an accident that created the other darker part of him in the Hulk, but I like her he hadn't let it corrupt his soul. Bruce was still good person at heart always trying to help people and avoiding conflict not only because he'd turn into the Hulk, but because he didn't like fighting, war, and death, and would rather live a peaceful life. Natasha learned a lot about Bruce as they grew a working repartee while working together that quickly grew into a friendship as Bruce didn't need anything from her. Everyone wanted something from her whether it as a sexual object or her skills as a spy, and assassin everyone wanted to take something from Natasha, but all Bruce wanted was to chance to get to know her and be her friend, and surprisingly Natasha found it easy to be friends with Bruce.

Unlike Clint and Steve she found her friendship with Bruce was almost instantaneous. Natasha did still feel some uneasiness towards the Hulk, but with Bruce it came easy. Natasha found she didn't put up all the acting and barriers around Bruce. She still had many walls to keep people out from seeing her dark and twisted insides, but with Bruce she could found Natasha could be more herself around the handsome doctor more than anyone else outside of Clint. Natasha learned a lot about Bruce. Natasha learned Bruce loved opera and classical music with some of his favorites being Verdi, Holtz, and Mozart as Bruce loved the music and it helped him to relax. Bruce preferred Star Trek over Star Wars as Star Trek was more grounded based on reality and science while Star Wars was just pure fantasy drivel. Natasha had heard of the two, but never had the time or the need to see any of the films, which Bruce was surprised, and Tony unfortunately overheard, which ended up having over a month long period watching all six Star Wars films, and all eleven Star Trek films. She had painfully agreed to watch the films only if Tony wasn't in the room as after his endless commentary during the Phantom Menace she threated Tony with painful bodily harm, and then went into detail all the ways she could torture Tony without killing him. After that Tony didn't attend Bruce and her viewings of Star Wars and Star Trek. With her and Bruce she found watching the films with Bruce. Bruce didn't talk during the films with endless commentary, and took time to answer her questions, and from then on out they made a movie night each week when she wasn't away on a mission. Natasha revealed to Bruce that her favorite films were comedies. Natasha found after a long weary mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. and adding more red to her ledger she needed to laugh as a release from the darkness, and no not the bad rom-coms that she absolutely hated with one of the few exceptions being the Princess Bride. Natasha loved the comedies of the 1970's, 1980's and early 1990's she thought that was the height of comedy in film. Natasha had a great appreciation Mel Brooks, Harold Ramis, and Leslie Nielsen with some of her favorite films being Airplane!, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Blazing Saddles, History of the World Part I, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, and The Monty Python films. Natasha also enjoyed watching him work in his lab, and yes even when Tony was working with him. Bruce seemed so at home as his awkwardness around her and other went away. Not that Natasha didn't find Bruce's sometimes shy and self-conscious way endearing and cute, but in the lab all that went away as the confident scientist came out, and Natasha liked the confident self-assured Bruce as much as the other, and wish he'd show this side of himself more.

Still with the natural easy of their friendship Natasha found that both she and Bruce avoided deeper conversations. Natasha had read Bruce's file, but it only it wasn't that thick only going into broad details about Bruce's life with his mother and abusive father, and very little detail about his life growing up in foster homes. Natasha could understand Bruce's reluctance to talk about early years or the Hulk as she was much the same. S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury, and Clint knew the most about her past, but even they didn't know everything about her life. Like Bruce they only knew the broad details about her life as a spy and assassin in the Red Room, but left a lot about her training, early missions, and childhood that had been erased from history. Natasha build up so many walls over the years with her first walls being built living on the streets of Volgograd, the next walls built to protect herself were built after Ivan Petrovich had and taken the eight year old orphan Natasha who at the time was living on the streets of Volgograd, and forced her into the Red Room program. Natasha built another wall around herself in the early years trying to survive the harsh instructors in the Red Room, and the other girls in part of the program fighting to be the chose ones. The final walls Natasha built was through her training as a spy, assassin, and seductress as using her body as a weapon was part of the program. With so much damage to her psychologically, and with all the lives Natasha had taken or damaged, and all the blood on her hands she didn't believe she had thought she didn't deserve any happiness, love was for children, and that she was incapable of love. Slowly her view of those things began to change when she came to S.H.I.E.L.D. when Clint had introduced her to Laura Barton. Laura was kind to her from the moment they had met welcoming her into her home and to be a part of their family without even knowing her. Laura understood what Clint was doing and fighting for yet didn't look at him differently for all the things he had to do. Laura saw the good man inside Hawkeye. The two became close as Natasha had never had a woman as a friend before Natasha opened up to Laura like she couldn't with Clint, and through that Natasha's wall about trust came down as she trusted both Clint and Laura, and they in turn trusted her with her secret, and being a part of their children's lives. Since that time years ago her view of the world created by all the Red Room and barriers Natasha had put up were slowly came down as she was more open with a select few, and more willing to show her human side, but everything change after her world came crumbling down.

With the S.H.I.E.L.D. collapse and the release of her file online to the whole world Natasha's world had collapsed around her. Natasha had put on a brave face for the congressman at the hearing as Steve and Fury, but inside she was lost. One of the big reasons Natasha had joined S.H.I.E.L.D. was because she thought while she was damned she could still use her skills to make a better world. It was one of the reasons that kept her going, but now she had found out it was all for nothing, and she was alone. Fury was gone. Steve and Sam were off searching for Bucky, Clint was badly hurt and recuperating at the farm with his family, and she had thought of going back to the tower, but she didn't want to look at the disgust and disappointment in Bruce's eyes. She was alone, and Natasha just wondered from place to place just drinking, surviving and taking the law into her own hands instead of being given orders. In Buffalo, New York she had tracked and hunted down a gang of child traffickers killing them all. In Paris, France Natasha had dealt killed a child molester, and taken down the Albanian mob that was working out of the city. In hear wondering Natasha had even gone back to Russia. In St. Petersburg she had found one of her old Red Room handlers and killed the woman, and tracked down a serial killer that was hunting young street women. Natasha was going to head back to Volgograd when she was left a message on her phone to call Misha, and found that the Red Room was apparently after her and was working with remnants of Hydra. Misha was one of the very few kind people she had met during her life in Russia and part of the Red Room, and after having seen his family killed, and then Misha killed Natasha just snapped not absolutely not caring about her life anymore killing every single one of the bastards who had murdered Misha and his family even going so far as torturing and burning them alive, which led her back to Tony's Avengers Tower, and more importantly to Bruce where all her walls she had built up and thought would never come down would come crumbling down for one day.

Natasha had done her best to avoid Bruce after he stitched her together and she reluctantly agreed to stay in the Tower. When Natasha thought she heard Bruce or saw him enter a room she was in she'd leave only seeing him when Bruce needed to check on her wounds. Tony confronted her first while Bruce was gone for the day with jokes as that was one of his annoying copying mechanisms to avoid conflict and uncomfortable situations when she didn't respond to him only giving him a warning glance Tony got serious accusing her of being the cold hearted manipulative bitch that Natasha's file said she was using Bruce, and saying the only reason she was here was because she was again a bitch who had no one who cared or loved her. Tony didn't get the response he was hoping for when Natasha pulled out her gun in a flash, and shot Tony grazing his leg telling him that was the only warning he was going to get. After that Tony had quickly left for a business trip leaving Natasha alone with Bruce to think about what Tony had said about her. Natasha wasn't going to take that from anyone even if she thought what he said was the truth. She was all of those things, she was alone, and hurting Bruce her kind hearted dork. Two nights later after nightmares involving her days in the Red Room, Misha and his family, about being empty soulless monster she thought she was, and Bruce calling her everything that Tony did and losing his friendship Natasha started to drink at sunrise pulling out everything in Tony's bar trying to erase the pain, which is where Bruce would find her.

Natasha knew she could no longer avoid Bruce or how she knew he would view her after her file was released, and lose his friendship that she had come to value as one of the most important in her life. After Natasha told him what had happened the night she showed up at the Tower, Bruce once again showed her how she was unlike any man she had knew. Bruce hadn't looked at her with disgust, pity or disappointment, but what she saw in Bruce's deep engrossing brown eyes was concern, kindness, and understanding, and when Bruce told her that he hadn't read or file, and only wanted her to tell him about her past all her barriers she kept up crumbled as she allowed the first tears to fall from her eyes since her childhood, and Natasha had thought she was capable of now. Natasha cried tears of sadness for her life, and feelings of gratitude and happiness she never thought she would have for having a friend like Bruce Banner. Bruce had opened up about his abusive childhood and growing up in orphanages and foster homes, and she had opened up about some of her life in the Red Room and her past. The two had talked all through the day and into night learning about each other, and Natasha even told Bruce things about herself she's told no one else including her. Natasha also found the Bruce's shorting of her name endearing, and didn't mind it coming from him. Clint, Laura and even Tony had started calling her Nat after he heard Clint call her that, but Natasha wanted to keep Tasha between them.

That day change everything for Natasha going forward. Living in the Tower with Tony and Bruce she found a purpose again as She and Tony actually agreed on something that the world needed the Avengers, and Natasha had convinced Steve to come to New York after he had lost the trail off his friend Bucky. Clint agreed as believing in what the Avengers were had done and capable of doing despite what happened with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra. Natasha followed the lead of Steve, who with Tony and Clint formed the Avengers. The Avengers had no trouble with Hydra, which was on the run now that they were exposed, but were encountering more and more super powered people or who the media were calling mutants who were quite different from Loki, like Juggernaut who clad in red armor and apparently powered by some red jewel claimed to be unstoppable and basically was for the Avengers as they had stopped him from escaping with the over twenty millions dollars he's robbed from a bank in Boston, but they had failed to capture the Juggernaut, and with the Hulk still in Asgard they realized they need Bruce. Natasha was reluctant to ask her friend for help trying to explain to him that he had better control, and understanding of his other self, but Natasha wasn't going to force Bruce, which left Tony. Tony of course hounded his friend day and night until they came up with a compromise. Bruce would agree to help if Tony helped him build something that could stop and contain the Hulk. Tony agreed and Bruce went into the field as back up working as a doctor and scientist only going code green when absolutely necessary, and that led Natasha confidently realizing that Bruce and Hulk were not separate, but the same after the incident in Argentina where the Hulk let loose expectantly decimating the Hydra soldiers who had taken out their jet with Bruce inside, rampaging through a small town before manhandling Tony, Steve and Clint leaving on her to stop the Hulk. Natasha knew that her and Bruce's friendship had progressed to an all new territory, but didn't realize the true affect she had on the man until the Hulk hesitated in attacking her. Natasha new the Hulk could easily run through her, but she wasn't afraid as she need to stop the Hulk from causing any more damage to the town, and Natasha believed that Bruce was inside the Hulk and she could talk both of them down. Natasha told the big guy to stop and calm down, and he did even though he acted like a petulant child being scolded by a parent as he picked up a car and slammed it on the ground in protest. Natasha began to hum an old Russian lullaby that she remembered as a child. Natasha didn't remember the name of the lullaby just that it was about a warning to children to go to sleep when they were supposed to or the boogey man would come get them. The lyrics of the lullaby weren't soothing, but the music that went with it was, and the Hulk seemed to like as she slowly approached the green giant and told him that it was getting late the sun getting low, and it was time to go home. Natasha had reached her hand out, and the Hulk reached his hand out allowing her to trail her fingers down his large arm and into his hand briefly before pulling back, and then the Hulk eyes stopped being rage filled as the green giant smiled a small smile towards Natasha touching her cheek with his large green hands saying "Pretty spider", and then pulled back and sat down in front of Natasha turning back into Bruce. Natasha just sweetly smiled at the man with her cheeks getting slightly red as it confirmed something in her mind as the Hulk transformed back into Bruce and the man collapsed to the ground. Natasha never told Bruce what the Hulk said as she didn't want to embarrass the man who bring up feelings the two were beginning to have for each other that neither were ready for, but after that day whenever the Hulk went into the field it was Natasha's job to work with and keep the Hulk in check.

While Natasha found her place with the Avengers she found her friendship with Bruce growing to whole new levels as they went out more together with Bruce trying to take them to do all the things they never got to enjoy or appreciate as a child like spending an afternoon going to an arcade bar called Ground Control where apparently it catered to the man child just with booze and food. Still Natasha hand time of her life with Bruce playing what were apparently classic games and arcade games in Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, TMNT: Turtles In Time, Mario Kart Arcade 2, and Gauntlet: Dark Legacy were just some of the games Natasha remembered playing with Bruce. While Bruce was helping both of them act like a child Natasha tried get Bruce to be more confident in himself and his outlook on the Hulk trying to help the man gain better control of the Hulk by mediating explaining that he and the Hulk were the same that he wasn't some violent incarnation of his father that Bruce's father had cursed him with. Both Bruce and the Hulk were good men who avoided conflict if possible and helped people making them heroes. Through their months working together as Black Widow and the Hulk, and their growing intimate friendship it wasn't until one late winter day in this past February that Natasha knew something had change. She and Bruce were going on one their days together for fun, and while getting ready Natasha had looked in the mirror to what she was wearing in buckle knew high boots, a pair of dark washed skinny jeans, a white seamless cami, and over top of that a tan fringed sweater, and Natasha had begun to grow out her hair after a mission in India she reluctantly agreed to go on in a joint mission with the Avengers and the CIA where she had to get cut her hair into a pixie cut, and realized she wanted her hair back to her back length shoulder hair because Natasha knew Bruce liked it after she had taken him dancing one night, and Natasha froze as she realized what had happened to her.

Natasha had a body of what men called a goddess and she knew that, and used it to complete missions, and dressed in sexy cloths like it was the theater and she was putting on an act with no emotional involvement, and Natasha never had dressed up for a man trying to please him when it wasn't part of the mission, and she realized she had feeling for Bruce that had nothing to do with friendship, and began to look back at when did that began. Natasha first noticed the way Bruce would looked at her for a brief moment while she was teaching Bruce to play pool almost four months ago. Through a mirror she saw for a brief moment Bruce starring at her but through the mirror, and then caught him looking at her differently before he turned away quickly picking up his drink. The way Bruce looked at her wasn't the way friend was supposed to look at another friend, and the way Bruce had looked at her was like she was the only woman in the world, a flash of desire, and something else. Natasha noticed also remembered that they would occasionally hold hands while they were alone or that she would loop her arm with his, and then there was the incident with the Hulk where the other guy had let perhaps let open Bruce's growing feeling for her. What was this feeling Natasha had inside her that mixed both fear and happiness into a new emotion that she'd never felt for man before. Was this love Natasha thought? No that was ridiculous love was for children or at least that was what Natasha kept telling herself.

Natasha was the Black Widow she was a monster who didn't need anyone and certainly not love not did she deserve it, and it would just get in the way of her job, but then Natasha had thought back to her mission in India dealing with a terrorist organization that had managed to get their hands on some Chitauri weaponry stolen from New York. Natasha had easily been able to separate Tasha from the Black Widow and efficiently completer her mission infiltrating the terrorist organization as a sex slave, manipulate the targets, and find the weapons calling in the joint team of the Avengers, CIA agents and local India authorities. Natasha knew if she wanted to she could separate Black Widow from Tasha when necessary to compete mission, and Natasha had begun to think maybe she wanted something more from her life than just being a killer, but what truly terrified more than anything else was taking that chance with her heart. Natasha had mistakenly become emotionally involved with a target as the man was only petty criminal and an otherwise a decent man, but was a family member to a criminal organization functioning out of Asia called The Hand that originated out of Japan. Still even with her sympathy for the man she completed her mission at the cost of his life, but Natasha had never been in love before and new it was a risk she'd never taken before, but as Natasha thought about it she may not deserve to be happy and have peace, but Bruce did and maybe giving Bruce that she could find her own, and decided to take a chance with Bruce as Natasha knew he wouldn't take the first step, so she'd let him know in a not so subtle way. Unfortunately for Natasha that hesitation cost her a chance as Thor showed up asking for their help to find Loki's scepter and led to one mission after another with really now time to rest or for Natasha to talk to Bruce until after the events in Sokovia she thought the Avenger might finally get a break and she'd have a chance to talk to Bruce, and at Tony's part she had took it opening up to Bruce about taking the next step in their relationship that Natasha thought they both wanted, but once again something got in her way with Ultron. It seemed god for fate was telling her that Natasha didn't deserve any love or happiness. After the incident in South Africa, Natasha had once again talked to Bruce trying to comfort him about his fear of the Hulk, that he could hurt her and the life Bruce could give her, and Natasha again opened up to Bruce like no other reveling that the Red Room had turned her into a cold emotional less monster whose only job was manipulating and killing, and one of those by products of the Red Room was that she was incapable of having children telling him that she understood and it didn't matter to her as long as they were together. After they agreed to go with it and run away together after they dealt with Ultron they had lied in bed holding each other taking away each other's pain and sorrow, and a promise for a future together, and Natasha being the Black Widow she found a way to destroy that like virtually everything else in her life. She had turned away Bruce forcing him without his consent to become the Hulk, and used him to help the other Avengers to defeat Ultron. Natasha understood why Bruce and the Hulk ran away as both of them probably hated her now, but she didn't regret the decision she had made as without her and the Hulk the Avengers would have most likely lost and at best tens of millions would have died and at worst the human race would have been wiped out. Still even with her not regretting her decision it still didn't hurt any less. Natasha hoped Bruce was living a quiet peaceful life, and maybe one day she'd see him again, but she wasn't going to look for him as she didn't deserve him, and Natasha would leave it up to Bruce about their future as friends or more, which brought her thoughts back to the present.

Natasha made her way through the Avengers facility towards the gym past the medical bay. As she walked by the medical bay she heard Steve, Nick and General Ross talking.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped everyone enjoyed the chapter, and sorry for the lack of dialog and character interaction, but like the last chapter I wanted to go into events leading up Age of Ultron. Focusing in on the character and how she evolved to that point of loving another person opening up to them in Age of Ultorn. The next chapter again is Natasha chapter, but pushes the story and overarching conflict forward with a lot more character interaction and dialog.

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who didn't get the connection David Bixby is a reference to the late 1970's Incredible Hulk television series which I loved. David was the first name of the character which was David Banner instead of Bruce Banner, and Bixby is the last name of Bill Bixby the actor who portrayed David Banner. Yes the television series had absolutely nothing to do with the comic besides the main character, but it was a fun show, and I loved the made for TV films which guest starred Thor and Daredevil.
> 
> The next chapter will focus on Natasha in the aftermath of Age of Ultron and the Avengers defeat to the Masters of Evil.


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